Judges and Legal Profession

In this update: Gerard Baden-Clay has told a Brisbane court that he tried to end his affair with a former work colleague; The Bishop of the Australian Defence Force has stepped aside after police charged him over a child sex offence alleged to have occured more than 40 years ago; Extremist group ISIS has declared an Islamic state across the territory it seized in Iraq and Syria; Cronulla Sharks have sacked Todd Carney after a photo of him performing a lewd act was posted on social media.

Former Federal Court judge Doug Drummond QC has warned the controversy surrounding Queensland's new Chief Justice Tim Carmody could disqualify him from presiding over high-profile or controversial cases.

Prominent Queensland barrister Tony Morris QC has publicly backed the appointment of Tim Carmody as the state's next Chief Justice.

However his statements on ABC radio this morning were in stark contrast to his earlier remarks on the matter.

On the night that Judge Carmody's appointment was announced last week, Mr Morris sent an email to colleagues, concerned that the new Chief Justice would be speaking at an upcoming conference.

He asked to withdraw from the organising committee, and wrote: "I regret that I feel quite incapable of representing the Bar Association with the level of civility owed to the holder of that high office."

The fact that no sitting Supreme Court judges congratulated Tim Carmody is a "supreme vote of no confidence" in his appointment as the state's Chief Justice, the former president of the Queensland Bar Association says.